La Sabroso cafe, which opened just three months ago in Hyderabad, has quickly become a haven for those with a sweet tooth, thanks to its liquid nitrogen ice-creams. Recently, the café expanded its menu to include a range of delicious crispy snacks, budget-friendly combos with dips, and desserts that outshine those found in the city’s legacy cafés. We say this after sampling their new menu dishes. We visited the café on a Wednesday afternoon and were immediately struck by the quietness of its offbeat location in Madhapur. The upbeat vibe of the café’s interiors rendered by graphic art above upholstery, quirky quotes emboldened on textured walls, and hanging lights made it welcoming to city-folks.
We settled into a cozy corner and learned from the café’s owner, Chengalpet Venu Madhav, that the café is his passion project. “I am a BTech graduate who lived the corporate life before taking up my love in food. La Sabroso is my fourth business, and I have put my heart and soul into it, working on the menu for almost two months. I am a big foodie that made me chart into the food and beverage industry.” Specialising in Indian, Chinese, and Continental cuisines, their menu now includes new additions like Parmesan Onion Rings, Crum Fried Cheese Momos, Crispy Fried Cheese Veg and Chicken Rolls, Hot Chocolate and more.
Snack basket
La Sabroso translates to ‘tasty’ in English and the new items on the menu attest that. We tried the first dish on our radar, a basket of Crispy Fried Cheese Veg and Chicken Rolls served with cheese dip. The thin crusted crepe like roll filled with minced chicken and chopped onion, carrot and cottage cheese in its veg variant, was like umami for the gut. A gentle sprinkle of peri-peri powder on the top of the rolls and side-ons like grated turnip and broccoli pieces made it a highly recommended snack. To add more crunch, we tried Parmesan Onion Rings next. The big onion rings coated with a blend of flour, bread crumbs, spices and inhouse gripping agents were fried till they turn golden brown and taste as crisp as a cracker. Served with tandoori dip, we couldn’t stop munching 3-4 pieces of this must-try appetiser. We also tried the Crum Fried Cheese Momos that were zesty than the previous two items. Filled with finely chopped vegetables and covered in a thick coating of fine flour, the fried item sat well on our palette fulfilling our craving for Chinese food.
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Fusion drinks
In between the drool-worthy basket meals, we sipped the brown textured Cranberry Coffee served in an elegant wine glass. Those who’ve bitten the tarty fruit know how citrusy it is, especially for those who prefer mild flavoured drinks. However, within our first sip, we fell for the mocktail that balanced the sweet-sour berry notes pleasantly well with mellow woody notes of the coffee in an aromatic brew. With each sip, the invigorating drink gave us a taste of good living besides great food.
Science behind delights
We paired this delicious drink with chilled Lotus Ice-Cream — a signature of the café. We saw the making of this experimental gelato where nitrogen gas freezes the liquid flavoured cream and solidifies it into a scoop of fresh, creamier and tastier icecream. Our scoop was free from any ice-crystals and was smoother in taste and texture from usual frozen delights, thus certifying its raving popularity. Before signing off, we doused ourselves in a cup of molten paradise with their Hot Chocolate. The thick drink had the optimum amount of saccharine element and milk concoction that made it one of the best hot chocolates we’ve ever had in the city! Despite being full, we gulped mouthful of the dark velvety drink and dunked some sugarcoated Churros in it for a heavenly indulgence!
Rs. 1,200 for two. At Madhapur.